Most businesses and organizations know the value of a great website. A rockin’ color scheme, and super shiny web ‘2.0’ buttons, will attract customers to your product or service. A good logo doesn’t hurt either.
But just as good design grabs the attention of a potential customer, bad content has the ability to turn them away.
Does powerful copy really make such a difference? You bet your socks it does.
What does it do then?
First things first – it influences search engine ranking. A customer must find your website. Unless they pick up a flyer or a business card they’re likely to go to a little place called Google. If you don’t show up in the results? I’m sure you can guess what happens then. Nothing.
Good content also acts as PR and advertising rolled into one. When your content is fantastically relevant and informative, you’ve separated yourself from the regular Joe or Jane Blow company or organization. You’re the expert. You’re the creme de la creme. SEO only goes so far.
Doesn’t good copy cost money?
Yeah.. sure… but in the end it makes you money. If that’s your goal. Imagine you’re a customer. You have a question about a product. You go to the website for the product, searching for an answer. What?! A copywriter has answered the question in the FAQ page. And there are articles as well, all about up and coming product launches and events. You’re drawn in. You want to know more. You buy.
Or imagine you’re an organization trying to reach a goal. The same applies! Someone navigates to your page and finds you have what it takes. You’re the one. A great copywriter will understand your product or service and implement that knowledge into the content. Copywriters -the best ones- know your customers, and craft the information you must provide to survive.
Think of copywriters as sorcerers of persuasion. Or wizards of knowledge.
So what kind of content is important? When writing content, consider these points.
- Write your posts in an entertaining way, that also informs. Readers want the best of both worlds. They don’t want to feel like they’re sitting in school exactly, but they don’t always want the circus either.
- Link to other pages on your website. Linking makes it easy for visitors to find the information they need, and also increases your page views. That’s good for your page ranking.
- Use short sentences and information that is well organized.
- Is the content up to date? Readers want the freshest information possible.
On that point; updating constantly is the best way to use content to your advantage. Staying current in a world of websites that update several times a day keeps you from losing your appeal. Just think back to the last time you saw a site that looked like it was built in the 90s.
How did it make you feel? Comment and let me know.
